


Everybody Wanna Steal My Girl

by Lenni51074



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Basically everybody ships it, Big Sister Natasha Romanov, Bucky Barnes Is a Good Bro, But thought I'd better tag it anyway in case people don't like that sort of thing, Clint Ships It, Dad Clint Barton, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and stuff, Friends to Lovers, Fury ships it, Honestly there's only like three swear words, Language, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Pining, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Clint Barton, Seriously I just want to be BFFs with all of the Avengers, Steve Rogers Is a Good Bro, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, a bit of angst, mentions of abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-04
Updated: 2018-09-13
Packaged: 2019-06-21 15:18:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15560634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lenni51074/pseuds/Lenni51074
Summary: Peter has an enormous crush on a fellow Avenger. Unfortunately, it seems like most of the team feels the same way about her. Especially a pair of super-soldiers.Not sure why One Direction’s “Steal My Girl” inspired the chapter titles for this one, but this stuff happens I guess.





	1. She Be My Queen Since We Were Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter discovers just how many other people love you as much as he does.

Peter Parker had been in love with you since you were both sixteen. He’d had a crush for a while before that, but he’d fallen seriously head-over-heels in love with you the moment you punched Flash Thompson in the face. You’d punched Flash for several reasons:

1\. He kept calling Peter “Penis”, despite your repeated requests that he stop insulting your best friend;

2\. He relentlessly picked on anybody who he felt was beneath him, which was pretty much everybody;

3\. He kept trying to get you to date him, even though you constantly turned him down and insisted that you weren’t interested in a mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging Neanderthal such as himself;

4\. He was a major asshole;

5\. He pinched your ass one too many times, and seriously, enough was enough.

Ever since that day, Flash had avoided you like the plague (which meant that, by association, he also left Peter alone), you’d become a hero to three-quarters of the school, and Peter was your number one fan.

You had no idea how Peter felt of course, because he’d kept his feelings very firmly to himself. The main problem was that he was your best friend, and had been pretty much since the first day of high school, and he really didn’t want to mess up the best friendship that he’d ever had.

You were also Clint Barton’s niece. Peter didn’t really feel like having Hawkeye for an enemy, because Clint was frighteningly protective of you. Even the overly flirtatious Pietro Maximoff had learned to keep his hands to himself after Clint had threatened to use him for target practice after he tried to stick his tongue down your throat at a party at the New Avengers Facility one evening. Clint didn’t really need to protect you, though. You’d been training with him and Natasha since you were twelve, when you’d been officially adopted by Clint after you were legally emancipated from your dad, who was Clint’s brother. Being trained by a couple of master assassins teaches a girl how to look after herself. So naturally, you’d become a bit of a guard dog to those you deemed worthy of your protection. At school this included Peter and his friend Ned, and in the Avengers Facility you’d decided this applied Bruce, Scott Lang and, surprisingly, Bucky.

Another difficulty was that every other Avenger seemed to love you just as much as Peter did. Maybe they weren’t all _in love_ with you, but still, it was disconcerting just how many people were excessively fond of you.

Clint, of course, loved you because you were family. But he was also ecstatic that you took an interest in archery, although obviously you weren’t as good as him. You took your training seriously though, and could hit the bullseye more often than not. You also loved playing pranks with him, and the two of you shared an unhealthy love of all things caffeinated. The amount of coffee you both drank was obscene. You once quipped that you’d drunk so much coffee in a day that you could see sounds, and Clint understood perfectly what you’d meant by that statement.

Tony adored you because you enjoyed spending almost as much time in the lab as Bruce and Peter, even though you weren’t as big a science geek as either of them. You supplied him with copious amounts of coffee and doughnuts. You shared a love of old school rock with him, although you preferred Led Zeppelin to Black Sabbath, much to his dismay. You were also a snark queen, with a quick comeback for every insult or flirtatious comment that the genius billionaire threw at you. You didn’t put up with his crap, and he respected you for that.

Bruce loved the way you kept him calm. You burned lavender oil in a diffuser to create a relaxed atmosphere in the lab; you made him a playlist of classical music so that he could pop in his headphones and ignore Tony’s music; you provided him with green tea on a regular basis, and meditated with him if things started to get too hectic; and you gave the most amazing scalp massages.

Steve enjoyed drawing you. Once you’d found out he was an artist, you bugged him to show you the sketches that he’d done, and you discovered he had a knack for capturing the soul of people. He’d attempted portraits of the other Avengers, but none of them really had the patience to let him draw them. You didn’t mind sitting with him for hours on end, talking about nothing in particular, while he took your likeness.

Bucky appreciated your help with the cooking. Since moving into the Avengers Headquarters, he’d taken over kitchen duties as he found that the ritual of preparing a meal helped calm his mind. You loved cooking almost as much as he did, and so you both spent hours devising menu plans for the weekly meals, and searching for new recipes to try. Baking was a particular love, and Bucky made the most amazing cookies, while cakes were your specialty. The whole team looked forward to your culinary efforts each night, especially on Sundays, which was baking day. The two of you also sang together quite often, belting out showtunes or big band classics while working in the kitchen.

Pietro found a fellow karaoke nut in you, and therefore requested that you sing every single duet with him whenever the opportunity arose. It occurred far more often than Peter was happy with, if he was perfectly honest. Pietro had a habit of choosing sexy or romantic songs for the two of you to sing, and flirted shamelessly with you the entire time, but thankfully you knew he wasn’t serious with his attentions. Well, perhaps he was, but you didn’t take him seriously. He was a bit too outrageous for your tastes.

Wanda appreciated the fact that you were happy with silence. She wasn’t much of a talker, being the less outgoing of the Maximoff twins, and preferred to keep to herself more often than not. You respected her need for space, but also quietly invited her to join you in watching movies or your daily meditation sessions with Bruce so that she didn’t feel completely isolated. She loved that you went out of your way to let her know that she was included, without putting any pressure on her to join in if she didn’t feel like it.

Nat taught you ballet, and was proud of the fact that you were almost as good as her. She also showed you how to move stealthily, and how to incorporate your dance training to suit your fighting style. You took great delight in sneaking up on other members of the team, and Nat would critique your efforts each time. You avoided surprising Bruce, because you didn’t want him to Hulk out, and also Bucky so that you didn’t set back his recovery, but everybody else was fair game.

Scott loved that you enjoyed looking after his daughter Cassie. The little girl idolized you, so it was no great difficulty for you to volunteer to babysit her when required. You also picked Scott’s brains about anything electrical, given his background as an electrical engineer. He was like your dorky older brother, making you groan with mock disgust whenever he told dad jokes, and sharing your love of old school cartoons like Bugs Bunny. You also insisted that he teach you how to pick a lock, much to the joy of Scott, Clint and Natasha, and the dismay of Steve and Peter.

Sam was pleased as punch that you wanted to learn first aid, as it gave him a chance to show off his skills as a paramedic, as well as providing the team with an extra pair of hands to assist when anyone was hurt on a mission. You were a quick study, and he soon entrusted you to clean up any minor wounds or injuries that the team suffered. He wouldn’t let you handle more significant injuries on your own, but he was more than happy to request your assistance when necessary, knowing that you had a steady hand and could follow instructions promptly.

Thor enjoyed learning about Midgardian culture from you, and in return he taught you about Asgard. You never treated Thor like an idiot, as some of the others did. You knew that although he often came across as vague, he was in fact quite shrewd and understood far more than he let on. But because he had the personality of an enormous golden retriever, people tended to underestimate him and equate his happy-go-lucky nature with stupidity. Thor was far from stupid. He was wiser than most people gave him credit for, and you learned quickly to pay close attention to what he said, as his somewhat cryptic messages often contained important information that was useful in the future.

Even Loki seemed to like you, and Loki didn’t like _anybody_. He appreciated the fact that you enjoyed reading, and happily spent hours discussing your favourite books with you. He lent you books of Asgardian poetry or stories that he’d loved when he was a child, and the two of you argued incessantly over whether Mr Darcy of _Pride and Prejudice_ was a more attractive romantic protagonist than Mr Rochester from _Jane Eyre_. You were very firmly in camp Darcy, and Loki could not persuade you otherwise.

Peter felt that he had his work cut out for him when it came to winning your affections. Especially because he appeared to have some stiff competition from a couple of hundred-year-old super-soldiers who seemed to like monopolizing your time, and honestly, how the heck was he supposed to compete with them?


	2. Everybody Wanna Take Her Heart Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You seem to enjoy singing duets rather a lot. Peter just wishes one day he could sing one with you.

You and Bucky had started singing together as a way to help the former Winter Soldier manage his stress. Sam and Bruce had both mentioned that music could sometimes help with PTSD, and Bucky remembered that he used to enjoy singing before the war, so you found songs that the two of you could sing together. It was never anything too complicated or loud. Bucky generally preferred acoustic music and more ballad type songs as they were more calming, so you tended to focus on those when he was feeling particularly anxious. But you often also sang songs that had been popular when Bucky was growing up, as he really enjoyed having fun with music when he was in a happier, more playful mood, which thankfully seemed to be more often nowadays.

Steve and Peter were also in the study, listening to you while you played the piano. The other Avengers quite liked listening to you singing, and they would often attend your music sessions with Bucky and join in when they could, as they seemed to be good therapy for the others as well. Everyone found that it helped them relax and unwind. Today, you’d decided to sing some songs from the 1920s and 30s to have some fun. However, Peter found that the song you were currently singing seemed much more flirtatious than what you usually sang with Bucky, and it made his chest hurt. It was a Cole Porter number, and while you played it more slowly than was originally intended, the lyrics were obviously quite cheeky, which suited Bucky’s personality.

_We’re all alone_  
_No chaperone can get our number_  
_The world’s in slumber_  
_Let’s misbehave_  


Bucky sang the next verse, grinning at you the whole time.

 _There’s something wild about you child_  
_That’s so contagious_  
_Let’s be outrageous_  
_Let’s misbehave_

You and Bucky were smiling at each other as you sang, enjoying the playful nature of the song. There was an obvious affection between the two of you, with Bucky looking at you as one of his most trusted friends besides Steve. The two of you continued your song.

 _You know my heart is true_  
_And you say you for me care_  
_Somebody’s sure to tell_  
_But what the hell do we care?_

_They say that bears have love affairs_  
_And even camels_  
_We’re merely mammals_  
_Let’s misbehave_

_We’re merely mammals_  
_Let’s misbehave!_

Bucky gave you a hug when the song ended, and kissed your cheek noisily. “Thanks, doll. That was fun. We should sing stuff like that more often.”

“Anytime, Bucky. You know I always enjoy singing with you.” You gave him a warm smile as you started to put your music away.

Peter felt another pang of jealousy. Of course you’d smile at Bucky like that. He was strong, and handsome, and absolutely not a dork. He would give anything for you to smile that way at him. He sighed as he got up to leave the room.

“Hey, Peter,” you called. He turned and looked at you. “I haven’t annoyed Tony by singing anything from _‘Frozen’_ in at least two weeks. You want to help me hack FRIDAY to play it on a loop in the lab?”

“Maybe not _‘Frozen’_. How about we put _‘It’s A Small World’_ on constant repeat instead?” Peter looked at you hopefully.

“That’s absolutely evil. I love it!” You grabbed his hand and dragged him to your room so that you could work together on driving Tony crazy.

******

You and Pietro were both singing at the top of your lungs in the training room whilst engaged in a nerf war with the rest of the team. Normally the team was divided into groups, but today it had been decided that it was every man (or woman) for themselves, and that any hit on any part of your anatomy was considered an instant kill. You had arranged a very loose alliance with Clint and Peter, but that was subject to change without notice. Nerf wars were a serious business. Although it was difficult to be serious when Sam kept shrieking with indignation every time he got hit, which was surprisingly often.

 _Let's get down to business, to defeat the Huns_  
_Did they send me daughters, when I asked for sons?_  
_You're the saddest bunch I ever met_  
_But you can bet before we're through_  
_Mister, I'll make a man out of you_

Howls of outrage from Tony as Scott hit him in the back with a volley of nerf bullets. You grinned as he headed to the “dead zone” to await the next round.

 _Tranquil as a forest but on fire within_  
_Once you find your centre, you are sure to win_  
_You're a spineless, pale, pathetic lot_  
_And you haven't got a clue_  
_Somehow I'll make a man out of you_

Pietro fired his nerf gun and hit Scott in the butt as he was trying to run for cover.

 _I'm never gonna catch my breath_  
_Say goodbye to those who knew me_  
_Boy, was I a fool in school for cutting gym_

Blam! Blam! You fired at both Nat and Steve in quick succession, shooting wide of Nat but hitting Steve in the arm. You ducked behind one of the makeshift shelters to reload.

 _This guy's got 'em scared to death_  
_Hope he doesn't see right through me_  
_Now I really wish that I knew how to swim_

Clint fell off his perch on one of the rafters after being struck by Nat. Bruce managed to get Bucky in the neck before being taken out by Peter.

 _(Be a man)_  
_We must be swift as the coursing river_  
_(Be a man)_  
_With all the force of a great typhoon_  
_(Be a man)_  
_With all the strength of a raging fire_  
_Mysterious as the dark side of the moon_

Wanda shot Thor in the thigh, and he sulked as he headed to the “dead zone” to wait before he could rejoin the battle in the next round. Wanda was then immediately hit by Loki.

 _Time is racing toward us till the Huns arrive_  
_Heed my every order and you might survive_  
_You're unsuited for the rage of war_  
_So pack up, go home, you're through_  
_How could I make a man out of you?_

You cackled with glee as you shot Loki directly in the face, much to his disgust. Pietro actually managed to hit Nat in the leg as she was trying to get to shelter.

You dragged Peter to safety behind a stack of floor mats before Pietro could hit him. “I have three bullets. How many do you have left?”

He checked. “I’ve got two,” he whispered. You signaled for him to go in the opposite direction to you, so that one of you could hopefully get the drop on Pietro. You stopped singing in order to concentrate on your target, and protect your position. Pietro kept going with the song, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was now a solo act.

 _(Be a man)_  
_We must be swift as the coursing river_  
_(Be a man)_  
_With all the force of a great typhoon_

You noticed Pietro stick his head out from behind the weights bench, trying to find either you or Peter. He spotted you and took aim, but you managed to duck out of the way and scoot around in the opposite direction, taking care to use as much cover as possible to get behind the speedster.

 _(Be a man)_  
_With all the strength of a raging fire_  
_Mysterious as the dark side of the moon_

You and Peter both fired at the same time, hitting Pietro on either side of his head, then stood staring at each other. You were the last two standing. Peter was just about to grab your hand to proclaim the victory for the both of you.

The alliance you had with Peter went out the window as you shot him point blank in the chest, much to his horror.

“And that, my dear Spidey, is how we make a man out of you,” you grinned.

“Betrayed!” he moaned.

“First rule of nerf wars – never trust anyone. Especially the niece of a super assassin,” you smirked.

Peter made sure he would remember that as everyone prepared for the next round.

******

Peter wondered how on earth you had managed to convince him to do this. He didn’t sing in front of people. Like, ever. But one day you just happened to hear him singing along to something on his iPod, and for some reason you decided that he had an OK sort of voice. So now here he was, participating in one of Tony’s semi-regular karaoke sessions, and you actually expected him to sing along with you like it was no big deal. But it was a very big deal. For one, he was singing in front of the Avengers. For another, he was singing with you. Clearly, you were trying to kill him.

The song started, and you began, your voice clear and strong.

 _Lying in my bed, I hear the clock tick and think of you_  
_Caught up in circles, confusion is nothing new_  
_Flashback, warm nights, almost left behind_  
_Suitcase of memories_  
_Time after_

You smiled at Peter expectantly. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth.

 _Sometimes you picture me, I’m walking too far ahead_  
_You’re calling to me, I can’t hear what you’ve said_  
_Then you say go slow, I fall behind_  
_The second hand unwinds_

He started off nervously, but you smiled encouragingly at him and so he gained a bit of confidence that maybe he didn’t completely suck. You joined him for the chorus, your sweet tones blending well with his slightly huskier voice.

 _If you’re lost, you can look and you will find me_  
_Time after time_  
_If you fall I will catch you, I’ll be waiting_  
_Time after time_

_If you’re lost, you can look and you will find me_  
_Time after time_  
_If you fall I will catch you, I will be waiting_  
_Time after time_

The two of you continued, singing the rest of the song together. You held Peter’s hand, intertwining your fingers with his, which helped him to forget about everybody else. He didn’t think about feeling nervous as he was so focused on you.

 _After my picture fades, and darkness has turned to gray_  
_Watching through windows, you're wondering if I'm OK_  
_Secrets stolen from deep inside_  
_The drum beats out of time_

_If you're lost you can look and you will find me_  
_Time after time_  
_If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting_  
_Time after time_

_You said go slow, I fall behind_  
_The second hand unwinds_

Before Peter realized, the song was coming to its conclusion.

 _If you’re lost you can look and you will find me_  
_Time after time_  
_If you fall I will catch you, I’ll be waiting_  
_Time after time_

_If you’re lost you can look and you will find me_  
_Time after time_  
_If you fall I will catch you, I will be waiting_  
_Time after time_

_Time after time_  
_Time after time_  
_Time after time._

You pulled him in for a hug as the song ended. “You did really well, Peter. I know how hard that was for you, so I’m really proud of you.” You pressed a soft kiss to his cheek and left him standing there, gaping in disbelief, until Pietro grabbed the microphone and pushed him away from the karaoke machine.

The rest of the night was a blur for Peter. Nothing else really mattered to him after that kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the version of “Let’s Misbehave” that you sing with Bucky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFqZ7M8gq1U
> 
> “I’ll Make A Man Out Of You” from Mulan seemed appropriate for the nerf battle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSS5dEeMX64
> 
> You sing this version of “Time After Time” with Peter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u29KcTr69y8


	3. We Dream The Same Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter realises that he’s not the only Avenger that’s dealing with emotional baggage, but you are the only one that seems to be able to make everyone feel better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst below. Also a teensy ickle bit of language in this chapter. Cap would be disappointed in me.

“Oh, shit!” Tony came running from the direction of the lab, panic written all over his face.

“What’s wrong?” You and Peter looked up in alarm from the game of two-player Risk that you were engrossed in.

“Something went wrong down in the lab, Bruce had an adverse reaction and now he’s Hulked out.”

Peter’s face went pale. “But Nat is on a mission with Clint and Steve. What do we do?”

You stood up quickly. “Peter, go and get the fluffiest blanket you can find in Bruce’s room. Tony, I need you to get some classical music set up on FRIDAY.”

Tony nodded, whilst Peter stared at you in confusion. “Y/N, what are you doing?”

“I’m going to calm him down.” You headed in the direction of the lab, but Peter grabbed your hand, a worried frown on his face.

“Y/N, it’s _Hulk_! How the heck are you going to manage that?”

You pulled your hand out of Peter’s and started again towards the lab. “Nat told me what to do, in case she wasn’t around when Bruce transformed. We don’t have time to argue, just do what I asked. Please!”

Reluctantly, Peter made his way to Bruce’s room. He located a blanket in the cupboard, and then hurried down to the lab, staring anxiously at the sight before him.

You were standing in the lab, holding your hand out to Hulk and talking softly. “Hey big guy. Sun’s getting real low.” You held your hand steady, softly repeating the phrase until Hulk finally came over to you and put his hand up to yours. Once he’d done that, you started singing the lullaby that Natasha had taught you in order to calm him down and help him transform back into Bruce.

Eventually, Hulk disappeared and Bruce returned. Peter handed you the blanket and you wrapped it around his shoulders, leading him gently out of the lab and towards the common area of the compound. Tony immediately started up the classical music. You made an enormous mug of green tea for Bruce, which he took gratefully. Once he was sure he would be fine, he thanked the three of you and headed to his room to sleep. Hulking out drained his energy for several hours afterward. Tony headed back to the lab to start cleaning up the damage.

You collapsed on the couch, sighing in relief, and Peter flopped down next to you. “So how come Nat showed you how to calm him down?”

“Well, she and Bruce thought that it would be a good idea for someone else to know how to help if he ever Hulked out while Nat was away. Bruce trusts me almost as much as he trusts Natasha. I think it helps that I’ve meditated with him so often that he knows I won’t do anything too drastic in his presence. The only other one who can help calm him down as well as us is Thor, and he’s back on Asgard currently.”

Peter gazed at you. “What were you singing to him?”

You shrugged. “It’s a lullaby that Natasha developed. She tried all sorts of things before finding what worked with Bruce. She practiced with him for months to get him used to it. He developed kind of a Pavlovian response to it, I guess.”

“Do you think you could teach it to me? You know, just in case.”

You glanced at the other teenager speculatively. “I suppose so. I mean, Bruce likes you quite a lot, and it wouldn’t hurt to have someone else who can help with Hulk crisis management.”

You held your hand out, and gestured for Peter to copy you. “So, this is what you do…”

The two of you spent the next hour practicing, and continued every day. Natasha was extremely grateful upon her return to the Facility a week later.

******

The most horrific screams were echoing through the halls of the living quarters at the compound. Peter raced out of his room, eyes wide, trying to find the source. He noticed you and Steve outside the door to Bucky’s room.

“What’s going on?” His huge brown eyes were filled with concern.

“Bucky’s having a nightmare,” you replied softly.

“I thought he was getting better,” Peter whispered.

“He is. But he still regresses every now and then.” 

Steve had his ear to the door, trying to determine if Bucky was calm enough for him to enter the room. After another minute, he seemed satisfied that the worst was over. “Y/N, do you remember what I told you?”

“Sure, Steve,” you nodded.

“Peter, I need you to get some water for me, OK?” Peter nodded, getting the feeling that he was being dismissed.

When he returned to Bucky’s room, Steve was standing at the foot of the bed, while you were sitting on the bed with Bucky’s face in your hands, speaking softly to him. His breathing was erratic and his gaze was unfocused. “Hey, Bucky, eyes on me, remember?”

You placed one of Bucky’s hands on your chest. “Can you feel my heartbeat, Bucky? Try to get your breathing to match my heartbeat.” He drew a shuddering breath. “That’s it, just breathe. In, out, in, out.”

You stared into his eyes, searching. Slowly, Bucky’s breathing returned to normal. He looked at you with sadness in his blue eyes, and you gave him a soft smile in return. “Welcome back, soldier.”

“Y/N, what are you doing here? Did I hurt you, doll?” Peter had never heard Bucky sound scared before.

“Not at all. You had a nightmare, but you weren’t violent. You know Steve wouldn’t let anyone within thirty feet of you if you’d gone into Winter Soldier mode.” You rubbed his back soothingly, and he dropped his head onto your shoulder, wrapping his arms around your waist. You whispered words of comfort to him until he appeared to have regained his composure.

Peter stood next to Steve, shuffling his feet awkwardly. He wasn’t sure what to do, but when it seemed that Bucky was somewhat calmer, he remembered the glass of water in his hands. Shyly, he offered it to the former assassin, who accepted it gratefully with a shy smile of his own. “Thanks, Peter,” he whispered.

You kissed Bucky’s temple. “Do you need me to stay a bit longer?”

He shook his head. “I think Stevie can manage from here. Thanks, doll.”

“OK. Well, if you need anything, just call.” You gave him another squeeze, and went to take your leave.

Steve gave you a grateful hug and a kiss to the top of your head as you left. “You did a good job, Y/N. Thanks for your help.”

“No problem, Steve.” You gestured for Peter to follow you, and Steve shut the door behind you.

You headed to the kitchen and grabbed a tub of ice cream and two spoons. Handing one to Peter, you sat at the breakfast bar. “So, that was fun.” You shoved a spoonful of choc chip cookie dough into your mouth.

Peter joined you. “What set him off? Was it HYDRA stuff?”

You shook your head. “If it’s just a nightmare, like tonight, then more than likely it was his memories of falling from the train on that last mission during the war. That’s a lot easier to deal with. Steve and Bucky will only let me help if it’s a nightmare.”

Peter waited for you to continue. After a moment, you went on. “Because he trusts me as much as he trusts Steve, Bucky requested that I learn how to help him through a nightmare, on the off chance that it occurs when Steve is away from him. Nobody else can get through to him if he’s having one.”

“What about the Winter Soldier stuff?” Peter asked cautiously. He’d never seen Bucky in Winter Soldier mode, but he’d heard enough stories to feel extremely thankful for that fact.

You sighed deeply. “If he’s dreaming about HYDRA stuff, about what they did to him or what they made him do, that’s what causes him to regress. When he’s like that, Steve is the only one allowed near him. I am absolutely forbidden to even consider trying to help.”

You leaned on Peter’s shoulder, and he hugged you close to him. “It’s so unfair that someone as sweet as Bucky had to be tormented like that. I’d kill every HYDRA agent myself if I thought it would help him,” you said bitterly.

“Well, he’s lucky he’s got friends like you and Steve, who are there for him when he needs you.” It was difficult for Peter to feel jealous of your relationship with Bucky in this instance, when it was obvious how much pain he was in and how much he clearly needed your help.

“Yeah, I guess. Well, I’d better get back to bed.” You stood and gave Peter a quick kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for your help tonight, Peter.”

He blinked. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Sure you did. You didn’t ask stupid questions, you didn’t argue when Steve pretty much kicked you out of the room, and you didn’t judge. That’s the biggest help Steve and I could have asked for.” You smiled at him. “You’re a good person, Peter Parker.”

Peter stared after you as you headed back to your room and considered what you’d just said. Seeing how you’d handled Bucky tonight, and remembering how you’d calmed Bruce down a few weeks ago, he thought that you were probably the best person he knew.

******

Peter is shaking. His breathing is ragged and he can’t calm his mind. Maybe…… No. He needs to do this on his own.

Heading into the kitchen, he tries to move quietly. He’s surprised to see you sitting at the breakfast bar, reading. You look up when he enters, and immediately you stand up and go to him, concern in your eyes. “What’s wrong, Peter?”

“Noth… no.. nothing.”

You cross your arms in front of your chest. “Nothing, huh? Then why are you wandering into the kitchen at 2am looking like you’ve seen a ghost?”

He just stares at his feet, not wanting to burden you. It’s his problem to deal with.

“I’m going to make a cup of tea. Would you like one?” You don’t wait for an answer, already grabbing two mugs as you wait for the kettle on the stove to boil. You pop a teabag into each mug, and once the water has boiled you fill each with hot water. A splash of milk is added to both, and a teaspoon of sugar is stirred into Peter’s mug. He’s surprised that you know how he likes his tea, and his expression obviously says as much. “What? I’m extremely observant.”

You head into the lounge room and curl up on the couch. Patting the spot beside you, you indicate that he should join you. Peter pads over to the couch and curls up at the opposite end, feet tucked underneath him.

“Let me guess. Nightmare?” you ask gently. He nods. “Was it about your uncle?” You knew the death of his Uncle Ben had hit Peter hard.

“No.” Peter runs a hand through his hair nervously. He really doesn’t want to talk about it, and yet……

You sit there, calmly sipping your tea, not pushing him to speak, and suddenly he blurts out, “It was Vulture.” Your gaze turns to his. “I dreamed about the night that he….. that…… when the building……” He can’t go on. His eyes fill with tears.

Scooting closer to him, you grab his free hand in yours. “That must have been pretty frightening.”

“I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t see. I could feel the weight of the building crushing me. I thought…….. I thought I was going to….. to…. _to die_.” Those last two words were whispered. So quietly you almost didn’t hear them.

Removing the mug from Peter’s hands and placing it on the coffee table, you pull him to you, placing his head on your chest so that he can hear your heartbeat. You wrap your arms around him, and suddenly he feels _safe_. For the first time in a long time, he feels that no harm will come to him. He has no idea how long the two of you sit like that, but Peter doesn’t ever want it to end. You are warm and comforting, you smell like vanilla and sandalwood, and he can feel how much you care about him without you uttering a single word. He feels you press a kiss to the top of his head, and your fingers are tracing comforting patterns over his spine. He’d be happy to stay this way forever.

Eventually, though, he lifts his head and looks into your eyes. There is no pity there, just compassion and affection and understanding. “I hate feeling like this. Scared and helpless. It makes me feel like I’m a failure.”

You hold his hands gently in yours, brushing your thumbs over the backs of his hands. “Peter, you had a fucking building dropped on top of you. That would make anybody terrified. And you are the furthest thing from a failure.” He stares at you doubtfully. “I think you are brave, and selfless, and pretty goddamn awesome. You are the best person I know.”

Suddenly, he feels like maybe he actually _is_ brave, and selfless, and awesome. If you say it, then maybe it just might be true. It is only a few words, and yet he doesn’t feel quite so small or helpless anymore. He snuggles back against you, and you wrap your arms around him again. “How do you always know how to make people feel better?” he asks softly.

You grin into his hair. “Because I’m just that little bit more awesome than you.” You are rewarded with a soft chuckle against your chest. “What kind of a best friend would I be if I couldn’t cheer you up?”

Peter is grateful to have a friend like you. You make him feel safe, and happy, and like he’s _home_. He falls asleep against you, and in the morning the others find you both still curled up together on the couch, smiling contentedly.


	4. Every Jaw Drops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are the textbook definition of a tomboy, so it’s a bit of a shock for Peter when you actually dress like a girl for a change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting this a few days early, as I'm going to be pretty busy over the weekend and won't have wifi access, so won't be able to post.
> 
> A huge thank you to everybody who's sent kudos and lovely messages to date. I hope you are enjoying reading this as much as I'm loving writing it :)

“Hold still.” Steve was trying to sketch you, and he hated it when you moved.

“Remind me why I’m doing this again,” you whined.

“Because you love me, Y/N.”

You huffed. “I’m seriously reevaluating my feelings towards you, Rogers.”

Peter and Bucky came into the common room in time to hear your comment. You were dressed in a [1940s style dress](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2714/9310/products/Stop_Staring_1930s_Style_Navy_Ivory_Railene_Dress_7_2048x2048.jpg?v=1516476851), fishnet stockings and killer heels, with your hair and makeup done in a retro style. Steve had asked you to sit on the edge of the table in a pinup pose. Peter nearly walked into the wall in his astonishment.

Bucky whistled when he saw you. “Wow doll, you look amazing. Just like one of them fancy dames I used to take dancing before the war.”

“Shut up, Barnes. Wouldn’t Natasha be better for this sort of thing, Steve? I mean, she does have that whole bombshell thing going on.”

“Nat’s on a mission right now. Besides, last time I asked her to pose for me, she threatened to shoot me. I’m not stupid enough to ask her again.”

You rolled your eyes. “I didn’t realise shooting you was an option. I’ll remember that next time.”

Steve smirked at you. “I don’t know what you’re so upset about. You look great.”

“I look ridiculous. I don’t have a pinup figure. I’m as flat as an ironing board.”

“More than a handful is a waste, doll,” grinned Bucky, winking at you. You flipped him off, and he blew you a kiss while laughing at you. Peter honestly didn’t understand how you could hear comments like that from Bucky and not get offended. He was almost positive that if anybody else said something along those lines, you’d slap them.

“Look, whilst I don’t usually have a problem with being a member of the Itty Bitty Titty Committee, this getup is just reminding me of my serious lack of feminine……. attributes.”

Bucky roared with laughter at your comment. _“Itty Bitty Titty Committee, that’s great!”_ he wheezed, tears of mirth rolling down his face.

“I think you look beautiful,” Peter said softly. He didn’t think he’d spoken loud enough for anyone to hear him, but he had. You felt your cheeks heating up. Why on earth would he say something like that? You weren’t anything special. Natasha was the gorgeous one. You were just you.

“Ok, Y/N. I’m finished. You can go change if you like.” Steve started packing up his pencils.

“Oh, thank god!” You yanked your heels off as you raced out of the room, eager to change back into your regular outfit of jeans and a t-shirt.

Peter stared at the drawing of you. Steve had somehow managed to catch your spirit on the page, the glint of mischief in your eyes, the playful smile that usually hovered on your lips. He felt that it was almost as breathtaking as the real thing. “I didn’t realise you were such a good artist, Cap.”

“It helps when I have a great muse. Y/N is a fantastic subject. She’s the most fun to draw because she has so much personality, and as much as she protests, I know she actually really enjoys having fun with it. It’s not always about what’s the most beautiful thing to look at; it’s about what’s interesting and captivating.”

Bucky agreed. “Yeah, she’s definitely got that going for her. Never a dull moment with that doll. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that she’s also a total looker.” Steve nodded in assent.

Peter flipped through the rest of Steve’s sketches. He’d done a few of some of the other team members, and had a real knack for capturing their personalities on the page. There were even a couple of Peter that he’d been unaware of Steve even taking. However, it was obvious that you were his favourite subject. Your image filled page after page of Steve’s sketchbook. Candid drawings, posed pictures, lots of images of your eyes or smile or the way your nose scrunched up in delight when you laughed. He realised just how close you and the Captain had to be in order for him to have so many pictures of you, and he pushed down the enormous wave of jealousy he felt at the thought of just how much time Steve spent drawing you.

Suddenly, he came across a sketch of himself with you. The two of you had your heads thrown back, arms around each other’s shoulders, laughing uproariously over something. He racked his brain, trying to think of when it might have been taken.

Steve came over and saw the picture that Peter was looking at. “That’s one of my favourites. You both were in hysterics because Pietro had smacked himself in the face with the Wii controller when we were playing _Just Dance_ a couple of weeks ago.”

“I didn’t even notice you were drawing us,” Peter said.

Steve shrugged. “I like getting candid sketches when I can. They are more natural, and people don’t get as self-conscious as they do when they know I’m taking their likeness.” He tore the page from the sketchbook and handed it to Peter, who stared at him in astonishment. “Take it. It’s not like I don’t have hundreds of other pictures of Y/N to show off.”

“Wouldn’t Y/N prefer this?” Peter asked cautiously.

Steve shook his head. “She doesn’t mind posing for me, but she hates looking at the pictures afterwards. She thinks I’m making her far more attractive than she really is, so she refuses to take any of them. Of course, I’m only drawing what’s right in front of me but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?”

He continued to hold the drawing out to Peter, who finally grabbed it and ran off to his room. He looked at the corkboard hanging on his wall, where he put his class timetable, photos of his friends, important messages and inspirational quotes. Shifting a few pictures, he pinned the sketch in pride of place in the middle of the board. Smiling to himself, he sat at his desk and stared at your likeness until Bruce called him for dinner.

******

It was the 4th of July, and because you loved any excuse to embarrass your fellow Avengers whenever the opportunity presented itself, you had plastered pictures of Captain America absolutely everywhere. There was even a life-size cardboard cutout of him standing in the lounge room.

It was also Steve’s birthday, and you loved to tease him about the fact that the entire country celebrated his birthday by leaving out a bowl of Doritos under an American flag the night before, so that he could deliver presents to everyone on Independence Day. He groaned goodnaturedly when you delivered him breakfast waffles in the shape of his shield, using the waffle maker which Agent Coulson had been gifted for Christmas and he had lent to you for today.

As usual, you and Tony had gone completely over the top with patriotic decorations for the day’s celebrations. American flags were absolutely everywhere; every available surface was covered in red, white and blue; the alcohol was flowing freely, and the tables were literally groaning with food.

Everybody was dressed casually, as it was the middle of summer, and every member of the team was wearing the colours of the American flag in some form or another. Even Loki had decided not to wear his customary green and black, and was wearing a blue t-shirt, white shorts and a red baseball cap. It should have meant that the Asgardian looked ridiculous but somehow worked for him. Bucky had stuck an American flag magnet to his metal arm. Pietro wore a trucker cap with a picture of a bald eagle on it. Coulson caused the entire team to howl with laughter when he arrived in a tank top bearing Captain America’s face in the middle, with board shorts emblazoned with Cap’s shield.

Your [Independence Day outfit](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2714/9310/products/Retro_Nautical_Navy_High_Waist_Stay_Awhile_Stretch_Sailor_Shorts__4_2048x2048.jpg?v=1516460644) consisted of a red and white striped top, navy blue sailor shorts and a pair of red wedge sandals, with your hair in a ponytail. Peter’s eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw you. He thought you looked absolutely stunning.

“Hey, doll, love the outfit!” called Bucky. “Very patriotic.” He blatantly checked out your ass and waggled his eyebrows at you, which made you snort soda out of your nose like the lady you obviously were. Peter scowled, wishing he had the guts to tell you how gorgeous he thought you looked.

Steve also complimented you, and you twirled playfully in front of him, telling him that it was your duty as an American citizen to dress in a way that was fitting for the birth date of the country’s favourite senior citizen. He guffawed at that and wrapped you in a bear hug, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. That made Peter even grumpier.

You had set up a photo booth with lots of 4th of July props, including masks of Steve’s face, much to his disgust and everybody else’s mirth. Everyone had at least one photo taken with a Steve mask. Even Steve had joined in by wearing one, which caused Scott to choke on his drink. You insisted on having photos taken with every single Avenger, and had great fun dressing them up with ridiculous props and then pulling faces together in the photo booth. You even managed to convince Director Fury to take photos with you, and Tony had tears of mirth at the sight of him dressed as the Statue of Liberty when it was his turn.

Steve and Bucky took several photos of you squished between them in what was dubbed the ‘super-soldier sandwich’, each of them planting kisses on your cheeks while you pretended to be disgusted with the whole thing. Peter sulked until it was his turn to have a photo with you. He perked up considerably when you insisted on sitting on his lap, wrapping your arms around his neck and pressing your face as close to his as possible for the pictures.

Once everybody had eaten far more than was good for them, it was time for the fireworks. Tony had spent an absolute fortune on the display. As the New Avengers Facility was upstate, it was far enough away from the city that a private fireworks extravaganza just for the team and staff working there was able to be held without the fear of upsetting the neighbours or possibly setting the entire city on fire.

You flopped down on the grass next to where Peter was laying, waiting for the fireworks to start. “So how was your first Independence Day as an official Avenger, Pete?”

“Pretty cool. Although I don’t think I need to eat again for a week,” he groaned. Tony had a tendency to overcater, which meant that everybody ate until they were absolutely stuffed.

“Yeah, I probably won’t eat for the rest of the month,” you laughed in agreement. You wriggled closer to Peter, resting your head on his shoulder and snuggling under the crook of his arm. He held his breath, trying to figure out if he was dreaming. When he realised that he was, in fact, still very much awake, his ability to breathe returned. He pulled you a bit closer, and nearly burst with happiness when you draped an arm across his chest. The two of you lay on the grass in companionable silence, enjoying the explosion of colours in the sky above the lake as the evening came to a close.

******

“Why do Peter and I have to be there?” you complained. Natasha ignored you, holding your face still as she applied your makeup. Wanda was doing your hair, torturing you with a curling iron and what felt like a truckload of hairspray.

“Director Fury wants you both there because it’s your first official function as the newest members of the team, and the press is going to be there so we need to show you off.”

A concerned expression crossed your face. “But nobody knows that Peter….”

“Is Spiderman, yes, and it’s going to stay that way. He’s being introduced as Peter Parker, teenage tech genius who designs all of the Avengers weaponry. And you are the computer whiz who provides logistical support to the team. Don’t worry, Fury knows what he’s doing.” Nat stood back to critique her work, pursing her lips. “I think we need to do a cherry red lip, rather than a nude one. What do you think, Wanda?”

Wanda inspected your face, nodding softly. “I agree. Red would look wonderful.”

You had been told just that morning that you and Peter were required to attend the cocktail party that was being held in the ballroom tonight, and no correspondence was to be entered into. As a result, you were now at the mercy of both Natasha and Wanda as they helped you get ready for the evening. They both agreed that you were hopeless at making yourself look glamorous enough for an event like this and as such, they were doing their best to ensure that you would look sophisticated enough to attend tonight.

You blew a lock of hair out of your eyes. “But it’s a cocktail party. It’s a bit pointless for Peter and I to be there, seeing as neither one of us are actually old enough to even enjoy the cocktails.”

Natasha laughed. “Nice try. You both just have to turn up, smile for the cameras, mingle for an hour or so, and then you can be on your merry way.”

Oh, if only it was that easy. You knew that once you were there, Fury and Coulson would keep hold of you as long as they could. So you suffered under Nat and Wanda’s ministrations, and finally they deemed you presentable. You looked in the mirror and gasped. You could barely recognize yourself. Your makeup was fairly soft, but Nat had given you a bright red lipstick to stand out, and had applied false eyelashes as well so that your eyes ‘popped’ as she put it. Wanda had styled your hair in an elegant updo, with soft tendrils curled over your ears and at the nape of your neck. But your outfit….

Nat had practically shoved you into a [black beaded retro-style dress](https://www.unique-vintage.com/products/black-beaded-mermaid-long-flapper-style-cocktail-dress), with a sweetheart neckline and mesh overlay. It reminded you a bit of a 1920s flapper style dress. It was a LOT shorter than you were comfortable with, but there was a black mesh skirt that flared out from the bottom of the dress, giving the dress a mermaid-style bottom. It was the loveliest dress you’d ever worn. You wore simple silver hoop earrings, an onyx ring, and a silver bracelet on your wrist, and black stilettos which you had a bit of difficulty standing in as you were more used to wearing sneakers.

Wanda looked approvingly at you. “You look very elegant, Y/N.”

You snorted. “That’s not usually a word that’s associated with me.”

Nat led you and Wanda to the reception area outside the ballroom, where the rest of the team were waiting. “You and Peter will be coming in last, Y/N. Fury wants the two of you to make a grand entrance.”

You rolled your eyes. “Of course he does.” The girls kissed your cheeks and headed in, Nat on Bruce’s arm and Wanda on her brother’s. Tony was with Pepper, but the rest of the men appeared to be going solo this evening. Steve and Bucky both glanced at you approvingly and gave you the thumbs up before heading inside.

You turned to Peter. He looked completely charming, in a [charcoal grey suit and black shirt](https://www.thefashionisto.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Tom-Holland-2017-The-Rake-Turkey-Photo-Shoot-003.jpg). He was nervously fiddling with his cufflinks. You went to him and straightened his tie, then ran your fingers through his curls to smooth his hair, which he’d messed up by nervously running his hands through it. “You look great, Peter. The ladies are going to love you.” The thought upset you for some reason.

He smiled shyly at you. “You look really nice, too. All the men will be lining up to take a picture with you.”

The doors to the ballroom opened, and Pepper waved to you to enter. Peter held his arm out for you. “Shall we?”

Linking your arm through his, you straightened your shoulders. “Let’s get this over with. And please make sure I don’t fall flat on my face.” You still felt a bit wobbly in the stilettos.

“I promise I’ll take care of you, Y/N,” Peter said solemnly. It made you feel better, knowing that your best friend had your back. The two of you headed arm in arm into the ballroom, drowning in the cacophony of press questions and flashes going off, determined to do your best not to make fools of yourselves, and to make the rest of the team proud of you.

You both handled yourselves with aplomb, winning everybody over with your youthful enthusiasm and obvious affection for each other. The press had a field day with both of you, enjoying the playful banter and teasing you and Peter shared. They used your very evident fondness for one another as “proof” of a fairytale romance brewing between the two of you. The photographers spent the rest of the evening trying to take the most perfect photo they could in order to portray you as the cutest Avengers “couple”, in spite of the fact that you weren’t actually dating. One photographer had actually managed to sneak a snap of you fixing Peter’s hair while you were outside awaiting your entry to the function, and it sent the Avengers fans into a frenzy.

Fury was especially proud of the professionalism that both of you displayed, even in the midst of the ridiculous number of questions about your non-existent romantic relationship.

And the next day, if Fury just happened to vote “Yes” in an online poll which asked people whether they thought you and Peter would officially make the world’s most adorable couple, well, that was nobody’s business but his, now was it?


	5. The Sun Doesn't Shine, The World Doesn't Turn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The obligatory angst chapter. 
> 
> Your world feels like it’s about to cave in, and Peter finds out more about your life growing up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Mentions of abuse, so if this is likely to upset you, feel free to skip this chapter.
> 
> Also a few sweary bits but nothing too bad.
> 
> Look, obviously I have no legal background whatsoever, so my apologies for any inaccuracies (which I'm sure are numerous). I don’t pretend to have any legal expertise, and as such I haven't done any big courtroom scenes a la Law and Order. (dun dun). I just did this for the story. Creative license is what most fan fiction is about, after all.

You stared at the legal document in front of you, the words not making sense to you. Looking up at your uncle, a frown on your face, you asked, “Clint, what does this mean?”

Clint sighed. “Barney is seeking to have your emancipation revoked and the adoption declared null and void. He wants to be reinstated as your legal guardian.”

Your face drained of colour. “But he can’t do that! He’s in jail. He can’t just try and say he’s my father again!”

“He’s due for parole shortly. From what I’ve heard, it’s likely to be approved due to his good behaviour whilst he’s been incarcerated.” Clint looked at you sadly.

You shook your head in denial. “No, this can’t be happening. I won’t let it. _You_ have been more of a father to me for my entire life than he ever was! He can’t have me back.” You threw your arms around Clint, and he held you close to him. “Don’t let him take me back, Clint.”

Clint held you as you sobbed. “I’m gonna fight this, kid. I’m not giving you up that easily.”

Peter watched, bewildered. “What’s going on?” he whispered.

Natasha gestured for him to follow her. When they were both out of the common room, she answered. “Y/N’s father is Clint’s older brother. He has been in and out of jail for most of her life. His latest stint was for armed robbery and assault, and he’s been in jail since she was ten. She came to live with Clint, and based on her life with her father, she filed for legal emancipation from him when she was twelve. Once that was granted, Clint legally adopted her as he was already her legal guardian. Barney didn’t fight it at the time, but apparently now that she’s starting to make a name for herself as an Avenger he wants to be a part of her life again.”

“Can he do that?” Peter didn’t want to consider the thought that you might be taken away to live with someone other than the team.

“She’s still a minor. If she was already eighteen then he wouldn’t have a leg to stand on as she’d be an adult, but her birthday isn’t for another few months so maybe he has a claim. I’m not sure.”

“We’re going to fight this, aren’t we? I mean, you and Clint aren’t going to let that happen, right?”

Nat shrugged. “Clint’s already asked Tony’s legal team to look into it. If there is any avenue for us to challenge Barney’s claim, we’re going to take it.” She patted Peter’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. None of us want to let her go back to Barney. Least of all Clint.”

Peter looked back at you, his heart breaking at the expression of complete anguish on your face. He had no idea what you were going through, but he was going to do everything within his power to help you stay positive. He knew that the entire team would fight with everything they had to make sure you stayed where you belonged – with your family.

With the Avengers.

******

You knocked on the door of Peter’s room, hoping that he was still awake. It was 3am, and you really should have been asleep, but your brain was racing and no amount of meditation or chamomile tea or relaxation music was helping.

“Y/N? What are you doing here?” Peter blinked at you sleepily, trying to stifle a yawn. You felt guilty for waking him up, even though his bedhead made you want to giggle.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you. I couldn’t sleep. I can go back to my room if you like,” you said softly.

Peter grabbed your hand and dragged you into his room. If you’d come to him at stupid o’clock in the morning, it had to be serious. He pulled you onto his bed, wrapping his arm around your shoulders. “What’s up?”

“I can’t sleep and I can’t get my brain to switch off. Do you mind if I stay with you?” You snuggled under his blankets.

“No problem.” Peter knew how much you always helped everyone else when they were having trouble with anything, and he felt honoured that he might be able to return the favour for you, even in such a tiny way as simply providing you with his company.

“I’m really worried, Peter,” you whispered. “I haven’t seen my fath…. _Barney_ in nearly eight years, but what if the judge decides that he should be reinstated as my parent?”

“Tony won’t let that happen. He’s got the best legal team around.” Peter wanted to be confident for your sake, but it was difficult. Matt Murdock had said that even though your case was strong, it wasn’t cut-and-dried, and there was always a risk that the adoption could be overturned by a sympathetic judge.

“Did I ever tell you why I wanted Clint to adopt me?” Peter shook his head. “My parents were both enormous losers. Clint’s brother, Barney, is a shit father. He never had a steady job. He’s a raging alcoholic. He used to beat my mother. She finally had enough and left when I was four years old, but she didn’t care enough about me to take me with her, so I was stuck with Barney. I never saw her again. She died a few years ago, apparently. Drug overdose.”

You spoke in a monotone. It scared Peter, hearing your usually colourful voice so completely devoid of emotion. “Barney was in and out of jail constantly. I spent most of my time with Clint, whenever he was locked up. Which was often.” You took a deep breath. “I think I was six, or maybe seven, when I went to my first break and enter.”

Peter’s eyes widened at this revelation. He’d had no idea that you had been involved in any sort of criminal activity. Maybe that was why you got along so well with Scott Lang. He mentally slapped himself for thinking along those lines. Both you and Scott were good people.

You continued your story. “When Barney got busted that time, I was taken by CPS from the police station. They wanted to put me in a foster home, but Clint convinced them to let me stay with him. It continued that way for the next few years. I was with Barney whenever he was out of jail, and with Clint every time he got sent away. Each time he came back, he’d drag me along to whatever stupid job he had lined up next. And if I refused to help him, he’d beat me.”

“Why did he make you go with him?” Peter asked. Part of him was horrified to find out, but curiosity was eating away at him.

“I was really tiny, a lot smaller for my age than I should have been. He used to make me squeeze in through the bathroom windows of whatever place he’d decided to ransack. I’d go inside and open the front door for him. That way there was no evidence of locks being smashed, so we could make it look like the owners simply hadn’t locked the door properly.”

You described how you were made to keep a lookout for police or security once Barney was inside, and how you’d perfected the ‘little girl lost’ routine that distracted any law enforcement types from paying attention to anything but yourself. It was an act that you could still pull off to this day. You were able to cry on demand, your lip quivering pathetically, in order to get your own way. Steve and Bruce, in particular, were especially susceptible to this ploy. You’d even pulled it on Peter once, and he’d found it virtually impossible not to give in to you immediately.

“Anyway, the last time Barney was caught, it was for armed robbery. He tried to rob a bank, the stupid shit. He was always looking for the big payout, but he never really had any clue as to how to pull off anything too sophisticated. He’s too impatient to plan anything properly. He just wanted instant gratification. So he tried to rob a bank, at lunchtime on a Friday, when it was chock full of people. Including police officers who were doing their banking while on their lunch break.”

You shook your head at your father’s stupidity. “He shot one of the cops, and beat up another one before he continued trying to get money from the bank tellers. The idiot insisted on still trying to get the money instead of just making a run for it while the cops were down. Naturally, the time he wasted because of his greed meant that backup arrived and by the time he was finally ready to leave, the place was surrounded.”

Peter listened to your tale, transfixed. He couldn’t understand how a father could put his own child through what you’d experienced. If Clint had been your real father, your life would have been so much better.

“He was sentenced to fifteen years jail for the robbery and assault, with the possibility of parole in eight. I haven’t seen him since. Fury pulled some strings and managed to get my juvenile record completely expunged. So there’s absolutely no record of me in the system.”

You sighed heavily. “The day he got carted off to jail, I told Clint that I wanted nothing more to do with Barney and that I wanted him to be my dad instead. So we found out what needed to be done to get the adoption sorted out, and I made the decision to be legally emancipated from Barney so that Clint’s path was clear to adopt me. Barney didn’t fight it at the time. He didn’t really care about me, and he knew that Clint would win anyway. So he gave me up.”

“And now he wants you back,” Peter whispered. His heart broke at the thought of you going back to a man so obviously damaged.

“I’m _not_ going back to him. _Clint_ is my father. Barney only wants me because I’m famous now that I’m an Avenger. He just wants to use me to make a quick buck.” Your voice was bitter. You knew perfectly well that Barney only viewed you as a cash cow, not a daughter. “So, now you know all about my tragic backstory. Every good superhero has one.”

Peter pulled you back into his embrace, pressing a kiss to your hair. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely not going back to sleep in a hurry. What do you say we watch some crappy TV?”

You shook your head against Peter’s chest, inhaling his comforting citrusy scent. “Do you mind talking to me about something else? I don’t care what, just help me forget what’s happening with Barney for a bit.”

Peter happily obliged, talking to you about the new _Jurassic Park_ movie that he wanted to see. The two of you talked until the sun started to come up, and later that morning, if Natasha wondered why you were asleep in Peter’s room, she didn’t see any reason to let Clint know about it. She just smiled to herself, noting how peaceful you looked with Peter’s arms wrapped around you protectively. There were bigger things to worry about than you sharing a bed, however innocently, with Peter Parker.

******

In the end, you and Clint really needn’t have worried. Barney had been unable to convince the judge that he was the best candidate to be your legal guardian. Under Matt Murdock’s questioning, he’d admitted that he’d had absolutely no contact with you since his incarceration, and that he hadn’t even wanted to communicate with you until he saw you on TV being introduced as one of the new Avengers. Then, he’d decided that he really needed to be a part of your life again, because he missed his baby girl so much and every daughter needs a father. He should never have handed you over to his brother. He realised what a huge mistake he’d made and he wanted to make things right.

Matt asked you to outline the mistreatment Barney had put you through when you were a child. You described the burglaries and other petty crimes he’d involved you in, and how he would beat you if you weren’t quick enough, or quiet enough, or didn’t carry out enough loot. You showed the burn scars on your stomach and back from when he’d held a lit cigarette to your skin when you’d dared to answer back to him once. You advised how whenever you were in Barney’s care, you were never in school, but when you were in Clint’s custody your attendance was perfect and your grades impeccable.

But the real nail in Barney’s coffin was when you’d pulled out your trump card. Tears streamed down your face, your lip quivering, as you whispered how afraid you were of your father. You sat there, sobbing that you feared for your mental health as well as your physical safety if you had to return to your former life. You described how much you loved Clint, how you had always considered him to be your real father, how safe you felt in his care, and that if you were taken away from him you might not survive. It wasn’t entirely untruthful, but you made sure to outrageously exaggerate your fears. The judge fell for it hook, line and sinker.

When the judge ruled that both your emancipation and the adoption stood, and threw out Barney’s application to have them overturned, the team screamed in ecstasy. Clint and Natasha, especially, were euphoric. Bucky and Steve cheered like their team had just won the SuperBowl. Tony had never felt so relieved about anything in his life. Peter and Thor wept for joy. Even Loki admitted that he had been worried at the prospect of you leaving the compound.

As you were being crushed between Clint and Nat, Matt came over and congratulated you. “You’re an impeccable actress, Y/N. Anybody who can cry on cue like that deserves an Oscar.”

“Yeah, well, that whole ‘little girl lost’ act is the only good thing Barney ever taught me. It’s come in handy on more than one occasion.” You shook the blind lawyer’s hand. “You’re my hero, Matt Murdock,” you whispered, then grabbed him around his neck and kissed his cheek gratefully, causing him to smile softly.

“Thanks again, Matt. You have no idea how much we appreciate your help,” Clint said. He refused to let go of you, as if he was afraid that it might not be real and you might be taken away from him any second. Matt dismissed his thanks, saying it had been his pleasure to help ensure that the right decision had been made.

That night, the team treated you to an impromptu party to celebrate the fact that you were staying with them. There was plenty to eat and drink, and for once Steve didn’t object when you and Peter shared a glass of champagne with the rest of the team. “Underage drinking be damned. We get to keep Y/N and that calls for a drink or ten!” he cried. Nobody argued with that sentiment.

You fell asleep curled up in Clint’s lap, his arms still cradling you. You hadn’t left his side since the judge had handed down his decision, and for once Peter didn’t feel envious that you weren’t spending much time with him. He was just glad that you were going to stay with your family, and he wasn’t going to begrudge Clint the opportunity to hold you all night. He’d have plenty of chances to cuddle you later. And the super-soldiers were just going to have to wait their turn.


	6. She Knows That I Never Let Her Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter proves to be somebody that you can rely on in almost any situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG you guys! Over 1200 hits for this fic, which just blows my tiny mind! I cannot believe how positively this has been received. I am so proud that it resonates with other Avengers/Peter Parker fans. Thanks for all the love, kudos and lovely comments, they make my day. Love you all to bits!

Peter headed to the gym, determined to actually get some training done today. He’d slacked off for the past couple of weeks, due to having several assignments that needed to be completed, and deciding it was more important to focus on his schoolwork rather than Avenging. But now everything had been handed in, and it was time to get back into his normal routine. He opened the door to the gym and stopped dead in his tracks.

In front of him, Bucky was doing one-armed pushups using his metal arm, with his flesh arm resting on his lower back. This in itself was not unusual. Bucky was extremely strong, and as his metal arm was made of vibranium, he could lift ridiculous amounts of weight with it and do almost countless pushups while hardly breaking a sweat.

No, what was weird was seeing you sitting cross-legged on Bucky’s back, calmly reading a book whilst the former Winter Soldier continued with his exercise. Your eyes flicked up briefly upon Peter’s entrance, and then immediately dropped back to the page you were reading. “Hey, Petey-pie,” you called.

“Um, hi,” he mumbled, unsure exactly what to make of the scene in front of him. He made his way to one of the treadmills to warm up.

Bucky grunted, pausing briefly as he completed another pushup. “How much longer, Y/N?”

“Shush, Barnes. I still have ten pages to go.” You continued reading your book.

“Doll, I’ve been doing pushups for at least fifteen minutes,” the former assassin complained.

“Well, if you didn’t keep interrupting me, I would be able to finish sooner. Quit your whinging and get on with it, soldier.” You winked at Peter, and he attempted to suppress his grin at your bossy tone. Bucky huffed and returned to his pushups, muttering under his breath about pushy broads and how even during the war he hadn’t been worked this hard.

Eventually, you finished the chapter and closed your novel. You tapped Bucky’s shoulder to indicate that he could cease his exertions, and he gratefully collapsed onto the floor with you still on his back. This caused you to roll off him unceremoniously and land in an undignified heap next to him, giggling uncontrollably. The two of you lay on the floor as he caught his breath. After a few minutes, he stood up and held out his hand to help you to your feet. “Jeez, doll, you worked me harder than usual today. It was almost like working out with Stevie.”

“Yeah, well, maybe next time you won’t eat all the choc chip muffins in one sitting. You need to burn off all those calories, otherwise they’ll go straight to your ass.” You smacked his butt for emphasis, and he glared at you.

“Are you saying I’m fat?” Bucky sounded offended.

“No, but you will be if you keep eating like that. You know your metabolism slows down as you get older, and you’re, like, a hundred. Moderation is the key, Bucky-bear.” You smiled sweetly. Peter tried unsuccessfully to stifle his laughter.

Bucky looked at Peter. “Take note, Parker. She’ll torture you too if you touch her muffins.”

You snorted. “Peter knows better than to eat a dozen muffins in one go. I don’t ever have to worry about _him_ disappointing me like that.” You looked at him slyly. “Peter can have my muffins any day.”

Peter turned red at your flirtatious comment. “Good to know you trust me that much, Y/N.”

You smiled at him. “You’ve never let me down yet, Peter. Unlike _some_ people.” Bucky rolled his eyes at your comment, so to punish him you made him give you a piggyback ride back to the common area. “Have fun training, Peter.” You waved as Bucky carried you out of the gym.

Peter really wished that his friendship with you could be like the one you had with Bucky, where he could flirt with you and tease you and touch you without feeling awkward. He might have to start stealing muffins just to see if you’d treat him the same way as you did the super-soldier. Maybe you’d make him bench press you...

He nearly passed out at that thought, and gave up on the rest of his training. He really needed a cold shower.

******

For some reason, Natasha had requested that Peter join you for training in the ballet studio. As far as you knew, none of the men had ever set foot in there, except to watch you and Nat when you were practicing.

Peter arrived as you were warming up. He was wearing shorts and a singlet, which showed off his biceps. You’d never really noticed before just how nicely defined his arms were. It was more than slightly distracting. You attempted to avert your eyes as he stretched, but they kept being drawn to his lean torso. When he lifted his arms, his singlet rode up slightly, giving you got a peek at his stomach – wait, was that a _six-pack?_ – which made you suddenly feel faint. Hastily, you went to the barre to continue warming up.

“So, Peter, I understand that you’ve actually had some ballet training?” Nat asked.

Peter nodded. “A bit. I did it when I was in elementary school, and I really enjoyed it. But I had to give up once I started high school as we couldn’t really afford it. Plus, it was just one more reason for me to get picked on.”

“OK, well, as it’s been a while we’ll start with the basics. Do you remember first position?”

Peter dutifully placed his heels together and faced his toes outward in first position, with his arms held in front of him. Nat nodded approvingly. You followed suit, feeling that it would be best to practice the moves together so that you could model them correctly if Peter had trouble.

“Second position.” You both moved your feet hip distance apart, opening your arms slightly.

“Third.” You moved one foot so that the heel was in the middle of your other foot, but placed in front. Nat adjusted Peter’s front foot slightly.

“Better. OK, show me fourth position.” You both moved your feet and arms to the correct position, and then Nat asked you to move straight into fifth position. Peter had a bit of difficulty putting his foot in the correct position, but it didn’t take long for Nat to correct his technique.

She nodded again, looking satisfied. “Alright. You need to remember your turnout, but considering you haven’t danced for several years you’ve still got pretty good lines so I think you’ll be OK.”

Nat then got you both to practice your _pliés_ and _demi-pliés_ , _arabesques_ and _jetés_ before declaring you ready to begin a simple routine. She called out moves and appraised both of you. She complimented Peter on the ‘bounce’ and height in his jumps, and approved the form of both of you when performing your _pirouettes_ , praising the pair of you for your spotting.

Once she was confident with Peter’s ability to handle her training session, she asked the two of you to perform a simple _pas de deux._ She told you which steps to perform, and you and Peter moved gracefully in time to the music, following her instructions. You pirouetted around the floor before she called for you to perform a [fish dive](https://www.sjdt.org/julie-fishdive-sjdt_promo-6359/). You went _en pointe_ in front of Peter, moving into an _arabesque_. He wrapped one arm around your waist, and the other around your thigh, tilting you downward. You lifted your standing leg and bent it. Nat corrected the hold and adjusted your line slightly, before giving her approval.

The two of you moved around the floor again, leaping and turning before Nat called for Peter to lift you into a [shoulder sit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbGCgD3ISII). He lifted you easily before placing you onto his right shoulder, holding you in place as if you weighed nothing. Although you were quite petite, it still surprised you, until you remembered that he had mentioned that his enhanced abilities meant that he was much stronger than a guy his size should be. When his strength had been tested in the gym one day, he’d been able to lift more than both Steve and Bucky combined, much to everyone’s amazement. He brought you off his shoulder and placed you directly in front of him, his hands resting lightly on your waist.

Eventually, Nat asked Peter to place you into a [running lift](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nW2NpK722Q) above his head. “Like the _Dirty Dancing_ lift,” she laughed.

You eyed Peter doubtfully. You’d never done a lift like that before, having no male partner to practice with, so you weren’t sure whether you’d be able to successfully do it.

“Scared I’ll drop you?” Peter joked.

“You’d better not if you know what’s good for you,” you muttered.

He just held his arms open and beckoned with his fingers, waiting for you. So you shrugged, ran up to Peter, bent your knees and jumped, hoping for the best. He caught you by the hips and easily lifted you into the air. You were a bit worried that you might overextend and pitch forward onto the floor face first, but Peter held you steady, smirking up at you as if he did this sort of thing all the time. You poked your tongue out at him, causing him to burst out laughing as he lowered you back to the ground. “Wow, so romantic, Y/N,” he teased.

“Is that what we were aiming for? I thought I was just trying not to fall flat on my face.”

“You know I wouldn’t have dropped you,” he said seriously.

“Well, I know that now. I didn’t for the first couple of seconds while you were holding me up there.” You punched his arm playfully. “But now I know I can totally do trust fall exercises with you.”

Nat chuckled. “Yeah, the only one we can’t do trust falls with is Tony.” She patted Peter on the shoulder. “You did really well. I expect to see you here next lesson, Mr Parker.”

As you headed back to your rooms, Peter grabbed your hand. “Hey, you do know that I would never let you fall, right?”

You squeezed his hand and smiled at him. “I know, Peter. You never let me down.”

******

It was the silly season and the Avengers Facility was decorated within an inch of its life. You had gone completely overboard, and you did not care one little bit. Christmas wreaths were on many of the doors. Tinsel and artificial snow was on every available surface. There were elves, reindeer, snowmen and tiny Santas in every corner of the building. Christmas bunting hung along the walls. On the mantelpiece of the fireplace in the common room, you had hung stockings for each of the Avengers. Mistletoe was hung everywhere, and you made sure to enforce the kissing rule if anyone was caught underneath it.

Outside, you and Cassie Lang had made an army of snowmen and decorated them to look like carol singers. Christmas carols were playing constantly, a mix of traditional carols and more modern songs such as _All I Want For Christmas, Last Christmas_ and your personal favourite, _Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)_ by The Darkness.

You and Bucky had made eggnog, mulled wine, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding and enough Christmas cookies to potentially last until next Christmas, provided Pietro, Thor and Clint didn’t eat them all first.

Tony had purchased the largest Christmas tree that would fit within the common room. You suspect he would have bought the biggest one he could afford, but Pepper had put her foot down. The tree had been covered from top to bottom with fairy lights, popcorn garlands, candy canes, tinsel and as many decorations as you could fit without it toppling over. Now you were struggling to put the finishing touch on it.

The others were laughing at you, perched on Steve’s shoulders, attempting to stretch as far as possible to place the star on top of the tree, and failing miserably. You were still a good foot and a half short, and it was starting to annoy you.

“Doll, why don’t you stand on his shoulders?” Bucky called out.

“Because we’ve already tried that, and I nearly fell head first into the tree,” you retorted.

“Damn, and we missed that? No fair!” Clint thoroughly enjoyed your mishaps, which were numerous. For all the ballet training you did with Nat, you were still a notorious klutz and could trip over your own shadow if you weren’t careful.

You still sat atop Steve’s shoulders, sulking. “It’s not a real Christmas tree if it doesn’t have a star on the top. Christmas is ruined!” You knew you were acting like a five-year-old, but you couldn’t help it. You loved Christmas and wanted everything to be perfect, and it upset you that this one little detail could potentially derail your definition of a perfect Christmas.

Peter walked into the common room, having just returned from visiting his friends Ned and MJ. He stared wide-eyed at the sight of you pouting on the shoulders of one of the super-soldiers, arms crossed on top of Steve’s head, glaring at everybody. “Um, what’s going on in here?”

Sam said, “Y/N has declared Christmas a non-event this year because she can’t get the star on top of the Christmas tree.”

Peter looked at you as if you were an idiot, which was quite a distinct possibility at this point. “Give me the star.”

“Pete, no offense, but you’re way too short. If I’m on the shoulders of a six-foot-two super-soldier and still can’t reach the top, how on earth do _you_ expect to reach it?” Peter was a good six inches shorter than both Steve and Bucky, so you failed to see how he’d be able to achieve what you could not.

“Just give me the star, Y/N.” He held out his hand expectantly, even as he was removing his shoes and socks.

“Fine.” You grudgingly gave the gold tree topper to him, then slid off Steve’s shoulders and stood in front of the tree, waiting to see how Peter intended to save Christmas for you.

Peter stuck the ornament between his teeth, and then started to climb up the wall of the common room. He reached the ceiling, and without hesitation, crawled across it until he was directly above the Christmas tree. Planting his feet on the ceiling, he hung upside down and delicately placed the star in pride of place. He crawled away from the tree and dropped back down to the floor in front of you, landing in a superhero pose. You stared at him with your mouth agape. You had completely forgotten about Peter’s spider-like abilities. He rarely used them around the Facility, preferring to utilize them on patrols or missions instead. He held back his full potential in training so he didn’t hurt anyone, and as such it had totally slipped your mind that your best friend was not entirely ‘normal’.

“Showoff,” muttered Pietro.

“Guess you just needed some help from your friendly neighbourhood Spiderman.” Peter grinned like the Cheshire Cat.

You threw your arms around his neck and peppered his face with noisy kisses, thanking him ecstatically. “Spiderman is officially my favourite superhero.”

Peter beamed even more at that, even as his face turned as crimson as his Spiderman suit. His face nearly split in two, he was smiling that much. “Just doing my bit to save Christmas.”

You kissed him again. “Well, just for that, you get first crack at the gingerbread that’s just come out of the oven.”

Howls of outrage were heard from several of the others, but you held firm. “Peter has proven once again that he is the only person I can rely on to make everything perfect, so he gets the reward. If you want gingerbread, you need to earn it.”

Peter’s expression was more than a little smug as you dragged him into the kitchen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My daughter does ballet, but I know next to nothing about it, so my apologies if any of you actually do ballet and I’ve stuffed anything up here! I just thought it would be a nice addition, especially knowing that Tom Holland actually has dance experience from his childhood.
> 
> Also, yes I know it is only the first week of September, but down here in Australia the shops are ALREADY selling Christmas puddings and fruit mince pies. Can you believe it? Hence why I've added a little bit of the Christmas spirit early muahahaha!
> 
> Only one chapter left! I hope it's worth it for you all :)


	7. She Belongs To Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter finally finds the courage to tell you how he feels. Will you return his affections, or will his dreams turn to dust?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, folks. The final chapter. A bit longer than usual, but so very fluffy.

“Why are you stealing our best girl, Scott?” Steve demanded. Peter glared at the back of Steve’s head. He hated it when Steve and Bucky called you things like that, and he couldn’t say anything because he knew how much you enjoyed the endearments.

“Oh, she heard that I was taking Cassie to the zoo, so she offered to come along to help look after her,” Scott replied. You and Cassie were putting the final items in the picnic basket, and you smacked Bucky’s hand as he tried to grab an apple out of it.

“Yeah, well, just bring her back in one piece. Last time you two got hold of her she came back covered in glitter,” laughed Bucky, remembering the time you’d taken Cassie to a fairy party and had been bombarded by a pack of glitter-filled balloons. You were still finding glitter in unexpected places a month later.

You rolled your eyes at both super-soldiers. “It’s the zoo. Honestly, how much trouble do you think I’m going to get into looking at the rhinoceros?”

Steve quirked an eyebrow at you. “The last time you went to the zoo, you tried to steal a penguin.”

“Yeah, because penguins are awesome and I totally deserve to have one.” You gave both Steve and Bucky a kiss on the cheek before grabbing the picnic basket in one hand, and Cassie’s hand in the other. “I promise I’ll try to behave myself this time.” You yelled goodbye as you and Cassie skipped down the hallway after Scott.

Peter sulked as he stalked into the lounge room, feeling yet another stab of jealousy. Once again you’d been more affectionate with both of the ‘grandpas’ than you had with him. You hadn’t even noticed him this morning.

Bucky noticed the scowl on his face. “What’s up with you, Parker? You look like you’ve sucked a lemon.”

Peter sighed. “Nothing.”

“Nice try, kid. You wanna have another go?” Steve sat next to Peter on the couch, and Bucky sat down in the armchair opposite.

Peter rolled his eyes and then tilted his head onto the back of the couch, staring at the ceiling. “I just… I dunno. I just get the feeling that Y/N likes you guys more than me, and it sucks because she’s supposed to be _my_ best friend and I feel like I hardly ever see her anymore because she’s always with you two.” His words came out in a rush.

“What are you talking about? She spends heaps of time with you.” Bucky was confused.

“She only ever spends time with me when we’re at school or training or on missions. Whenever I want to do anything else with her lately, she’s either being drawn by Steve or singing mushy love songs with Bucky or going on excursions with Scott. It’s like she’d rather do anything with anybody that isn’t me.”

Bucky and Steve exchanged a look. “Why does it bother you so much? You know how much everyone here loves her,” Steve said.

“That’s just the problem!” Peter exclaimed. “EVERYBODY loves her, but she seems to love you guys more than anyone else and it’s wrong! She’s not even eighteen yet and you guys are like, a hundred and it’s just _wrong!_ ”

“Wait, wait, wait. Are you saying… Do you think Y/N is _in love_ with one of us?” Bucky asked incredulously.

“I think he’s saying that she’s in love with _both_ of us, Buck,” Steve snorted.

The two of them stared at each other for a heartbeat, and then burst into hysterical laughter. Steve laughed so hard he grabbed his left boob as he fell off the couch. Bucky was doubled over, tears streaming down his face, and had trouble catching his breath.

Peter glared at the both of them. “I don’t see why this is funny. You don’t think it’s a bit inappropriate given the age difference between you guys and her?”

Steve was still rolling on the floor. “We’re not _that_ old. I mean, yeah, I guess _chronologically_ we’re about a hundred, but _biologically_ we’re not even thirty yet.”

Bucky wiped tears from his eyes. “You know, Peter, for such a smart guy you can be incredibly dumb.”

“Yeah, yeah, make fun of stupid Peter Parker for being in love with his best friend when she obviously doesn’t feel the same way. I don’t know why I even bother.” He stood up to leave, but Steve stopped him.

“Peter, sit down. We need to tell you something.”

Peter groaned. “I don’t want to hear it, Steve. I don’t need to hear how much you guys love her and how happy she makes both of you. Just leave me alone.”

“Peter. Sit.” _Oh no._ Steve used the Captain America PSA voice. He only ever brought that out when things were serious. Instinctively, Peter obeyed. “OK, now listen, and listen good. Y/N is absolutely not in love with us. She simply does not feel that way about me or Bucky.”

“But…” Peter began.

Steve held up a hand to silence him. “No buts. She is not in love with us, and we are not in love with her. She’s like a little sister to us.”

“I don’t understand. She’s _always_ with you guys, and you always call her ‘doll’ or your best girl, and you’re always flirting with her and touching her and kissing her. You don’t act that way with Nat or Wanda or Agent Hill.”

Bucky responded this time. “Y/N is one of our best friends. We’re so affectionate with her because we trust her, and because she doesn’t judge us. She was one of the first to actively support us. She’s never let our relationship affect how she feels about us.”

Peter tilted his head in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“We aren’t in love with Y/N. Steve and I are in love with each other,” Bucky answered.

Peter blinked. “What?”

“Steve and I are together. Y/N supports that, and we love her because she’s happy for us.”

Peter looked between Steve and Bucky, the wheels turning in his mind. “You two are a couple?” Nods from both men. “And Y/N knows this?” More nods. “But then… why do the three of you flirt with each other so much?”

“Just because we’re gay doesn’t mean we’re blind, Peter. She’s a beautiful girl, and we enjoy reminding her of that. She’s probably comfortable teasing Bucky and I so much because she knows we’re harmless. We get away with it because she knows that nothing is going to happen,” Steve said.

“Now, Pietro, on the other hand,” Bucky laughed. “Have you ever noticed how quickly she shuts _him_ down if he tries anything?”

Peter thought about it, and realised the truth of Bucky’s words. The Sokovian was an outrageous flirt and made absolutely no secret of the fact that he found you attractive. Yet whenever he tried to make a move on you, you would put him very firmly back in his place.

Steve continued. “And have you ever noticed that you are really the only other person, besides us, that she freely gives that kind of affection to? She kisses you, and sits on your lap, and holds hands and flirts with you because she trusts you, and knows that she’s safe with you.”

“Plus, I’m pretty sure she thinks you’re kind of cute,” added Bucky with a smirk.

“Oh, absolutely,” laughed Steve. “She’s definitely got a thing for you, Peter.”

“Really? She likes me? Like, _likes me_ likes me?” Peter was stunned at this revelation. He’d never had the slightest suspicion that you thought of him as anything more than a friend. Suddenly his heart was filled with hope.

Bucky fluttered his eyelashes at Peter and launched into a truly horrendous impersonation of you. “Oh, Peter is _soooo_ smart. Peter is really funny. Isn’t Peter just the _cutest thing ever?_ Peter Parker might just be _the most adorable person_ on the planet. Peter is my favourite person in the _entire world_. I _would die_ for Peter Parker. Kid, she never shuts up about you.” He grinned at the teenager, watching his expression change from despair to hope almost instantaneously.

“So now you just have to tell her how you feel,” Steve said. Peter gulped. That was easier said than done. He’d been secretly in love with you for so long, how on earth was he going to let you know how he really felt?

“You know, there’s a wedding coming up soon. I hear those sorts of things are pretty romantic. Might be the perfect time to tell her,” Bucky suggested.

Peter nodded. The two of you were in the wedding party. You’d have plenty of time together. Maybe he could finally find the courage to put his heart on the line. It was worth a shot.

******

This was it. The day that nobody thought would ever arrive. Tony was finally marrying Pepper, and he was the most nervous that anybody had ever seen him.

“What if she doesn’t turn up? What if she changes her mind at the last minute? What if she realises that marrying me is a huge mistake and she runs screaming for the hills?” Tony was pacing back and forth, chewing on his nails. He was so nervous that he couldn’t actually drink anything, which was surely a sign that the end of days was approaching.

Rhodey was trying to calm Tony down. “Tony, Pepper loves you. It’s going to be fine.” As best man, he was doing his best to make sure Tony was not a complete nervous wreck before the ceremony, but it was an uphill battle. Bruce was also doing his utmost to assure Tony that nothing would go wrong.

Peter was tugging nervously on his bowtie. He wasn’t used to wearing a tie of any description and thought that it felt rather a lot like he was being strangled. He still wasn’t entirely sure why Tony had chosen him to be one of his groomsmen. Surely Happy should have been part of the wedding party, given how long he’d been working for Tony and had been his friend. Still, Peter had been honoured to be considered, and hadn’t hesitated to accept when Tony had asked him. It probably didn’t hurt that he knew that you were going to be one of Pepper’s bridesmaids.

Finally, Rhodey managed to calm Tony down enough that he felt ready to head to the marquee that had been set up near the lake in the gardens of the Avengers Facility, where the ceremony was to take place. Tony and his groomsmen awaited the entrance of the bridal party. It was difficult to say who was fidgeting the most waiting for the bride to appear, Tony or Peter.

Natasha was Pepper’s maid of honour, and you and Maria Hill were her bridesmaids. Pepper had chosen a gorgeous [eggplant-coloured gown](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2714/9310/products/Eggplant_Chiffon_Strapless_Sweetheart_Corset_Long_Gown_2_94e01869-7bff-4f56-a306-076ab7233c3e_2048x2048.jpg?v=1525769580) with a sweetheart neckline, a knotted bodice, and a soft, flowing, floor-length skirt for the three of you. The gowns were extremely comfortable, which was the biggest factor that Pepper had insisted on, and were elegant and absolutely perfect for her big day. Natasha insisted on doing the makeup for all of the bridal party, which meant that you were completely at her mercy. However, she had kept the makeup for all of you as natural as possible, so that it was similar to Pepper’s, but it was still a romantic look which fit the theme of the big day. Once Nat was satisfied, the three of you gave Pepper air kisses so you wouldn’t ruin Natasha’s efforts, and then made your way to the lake to commence the ceremony.

The string quartet started playing, and Natasha entered the marquee first. Clint had a huge grin on his face, as he loved seeing both you and Nat when you were dressed up. Nat gave him a wink as she passed, then took her place opposite Rhodey, although her eyes were focused on Bruce.

Maria was next, and was actually smiling as she walked down the aisle, instead of the usual ‘serious business’ face she generally wore. She gave Bruce an encouraging grin as she took her place on the opposite side of the red carpet to him.

Finally, you entered just before Pepper, and Peter nearly fainted when he saw you. It wasn’t often that you got dressed up formally, and he thought you had never looked more lovely. Steve and Bucky both wolf whistled at you as you passed them, enjoying the rare spectacle of you in a dress. You did your best to ignore them, otherwise you were likely to burst out laughing. Once you reached the front of the marquee, you turned and smiled at Peter when you took your place opposite him. He felt the tips of his ears starting to go red when you looked him up and down, and then winked and gave him the ‘OK’ sign with your hand.

Pepper finally entered the marquee on Happy’s arm, and every guest swooned when they saw her. Her [wedding dress](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2714/9310/products/s198148_1_2048x2048.jpg?v=1518190731) was just like the woman herself - classy, elegant and understated. It had a floral lace and beaded overlay covering the bodice. The flowing skirt was cinched at the waist by an ivory ribbon, and she opted to wear white rosebuds in her hair instead of a veil. Her makeup was soft and natural, and she had never looked more radiant. Tony started crying when he saw her, which caused Pepper to roll her eyes in exasperation. She remained completely composed throughout the entire ceremony. Thor and Director Fury both blew noisily into their handkerchiefs during the ceremony, much to the amusement of the other guests. After the rings had been exchanged and they were pronounced man and wife, Pepper grabbed Tony and dipped him backwards, planting an enthusiastic kiss on his lips. The marquee erupted in cheers and applause.

The reception was beautiful. Happy brought everyone to tears with his toast to the newlyweds, describing how he had carried the engagement ring for ten years, and how much he loved both Tony and Pepper. Tony made everybody cry even harder when he gave his speech, detailing his love for Pepper and how much she had changed his life for the better. Pepper brought the house down with a hilarious speech about working for Tony for all those years, full of embarrassing anecdotes, and how she knew she loved him because nobody else made her want to strangle them on a daily basis.

Tony and Pepper had their first dance to _‘At Last’_ by Etta James, and every person present felt the love that they had for each other. Tony looked at Pepper like she was the only person in the world, and she looked at him with so much adoration that Loki complained he was getting cavities from the sweetness.

After a few minutes, the rest of the bridal party took to the floor to join the happy couple. Nat and Rhodey moved gracefully across the floor, and Maria and Bruce swayed slowly on the spot. Peter held you a bit awkwardly, as if he was afraid to touch you, until you adjusted his hold and told him to relax and follow your lead.

“You scrub up really nicely, Peter. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look so handsome,” you told him. His face was ablaze at the compliment.

“I think you look lovely, too, Y/N. Really beautiful.” He gazed at you shyly, and felt a bit better when you blushed slightly at his words.

Tony Bennett’s _‘The Way You Look Tonight’_ started playing for the next song, and the guests joined the bridal party on the dance floor. Peter started singing softly to you, his beautiful brown eyes never leaving your face.

_Someday, when I’m awfully low_  
_When the world is cold_  
_I will feel a glow just thinking of you_  
_And the way you look tonight_  


_Oh, but you’re lovely, with your smile so warm_  
_And your cheeks so soft_  
_There is nothing for me but to love you_  
_Just the way you look tonight_

_With each word your tenderness grows_  
_Tearing my fear apart_  
_And that laugh that wrinkles your nose_   
_Touches my foolish heart_  


_Lovely, never never change_  
_Keep that breathless charm_  
_Won’t you please arrange it? ‘Cause I love you_  
_Just the way you look tonight_

The intensity of Peter’s gaze unnerved you, and so you dropped your head to rest on his shoulder in order to try and regain your composure. You’d never felt shy around your best friend before, but suddenly you couldn’t bring yourself to look at him anymore. He held you close, tracing patterns on your back with his fingers, and continued to sing softly in your ear, making you forget about everybody else on the dancefloor.

_With each word your tenderness grows_  
_Tearing my fear apart_  
_And that laugh that wrinkles your nose_  
_Touches my foolish heart_

_Lovely, never never change_  
_Keep that breathless charm_  
_Won’t you please arrange it? ‘Cause I love you_  
_Just the way you look tonight_

_Just the way you look tonight_

You felt Peter drop a tender kiss to your temple, and your heart inexplicably swelled with joy. You weren’t entirely sure what was happening, but you suddenly realised that you very much wanted whatever it was to continue. You lifted your head slightly and noticed that Peter was staring at you with undisguised adoration. He pressed a kiss to your nose, causing you to scrunch it up as you giggled. “Just like in the song,” he chuckled.

You frowned at him, and he sang the line again. _“That laugh that wrinkles your nose, touches my foolish heart._ It’s just one of a thousand things I love about you.”

You looked at Peter in confusion, and he continued, somewhat hesitantly. “Y/N, I love the way you can always make everybody feel better. I love how you make every day seem brighter. I love that you are as big of a nerd as me. I love it when you sing, or dance, or make a fool of yourself in front of everyone. I love that you don’t care what other people think about you. And I especially love that out of everybody you have ever known, for some reason, you chose me as your best friend. You stick up for me, and support me, and believe in me even when I doubt myself. I don’t know what I’d do without you in my life.”

You blinked. “What exactly are you saying, Peter?”

He coughed slightly, looking flustered. “I’m trying to say that I love you. Totally and completely. I’ve been in love with you for a while now.”

You lifted an eyebrow at him. “Define ‘a while’.”

“Um… ever since the day you punched Flash in the face.”

“Seriously?” You could hardly believe your ears. Your best friend, the guy who held the number one position in your heart, the one person you never wanted to find out that you had feelings for just in case it made things weird, was admitting that he’d been in love with you for almost as long as you’d secretly carried a torch for him. You wanted to face-palm.

Peter looked down at his feet. “I couldn’t bring myself to say anything before now. I was scared it was going to ruin our friendship. But seeing you tonight, looking more beautiful than I’ve ever seen you, I just had to let you know how I feel.”

You shook your head in disbelief. “I don’t believe this.”

“I’m sorry! I know I’ve probably stuffed everything up, but I just couldn’t go on keeping my feelings to myself.” Peter stared at you, panicked. Maybe Steve and Bucky were wrong. Maybe you didn’t really care about him the way he wanted you to.

You cupped his face in your hands. “No, you haven’t stuffed anything up, Peter. What I mean is, I can’t believe that you’ve felt this way for so long and I had absolutely no idea. I didn’t want to tell you how I felt for the exact same reason.”

Now it was Peter’s turn to look baffled. “What?”

“I love _you,_ Peter Parker. I’ve loved you pretty much from the moment I met you. I love that you are an unashamed fanboy of just about everything. I love your terrible science puns. Your intelligence astounds me, but I love that you can explain things in a way that everybody can understand. I am so proud of the fact that you always stand up for the little guy. I absolutely love the way your smile lights up your entire being. You are a literal ray of sunshine, always so happy and positive about everything. I adore the fact that you aren’t afraid to be a geek, and that one minute you try so hard to act all grown-up and then the next you are running around like a kid in a candy store. You are the world’s biggest dork, and I absolutely worship the ground you walk on.”

You paused, then hesitantly continued. “I just always thought that you only liked me as a friend. So I tried to convince myself that I was fine with that, and I never told you how I really felt.”

The two of you stared at each other for a moment, and then burst out laughing. It was so ridiculous. How could two people who knew each other so well be so completely oblivious? When you’d finally managed to calm down, Peter held your face in his hands and gently brushed his lips against yours. It only took a couple of seconds for you to deepen the kiss, and you carded your fingers through Peter’s chestnut curls even as he wrapped his arms around you and held you as close as he could. You forgot everything except the feeling of each other. Eventually, though, you had to break apart to catch your breath and as you did so, you became aware of the fact that there seemed to be rather a lot of cheering and shouting going on around you.

“Oh my God, it’s about time you two!” Clint whooped with delight, embracing you both.

Peter seemed taken aback that your uncle was apparently untroubled at the prospect of him being in a relationship with you, given that he’d shown his resting murder face to anybody else who even looked at you. “Um, what?”

“We’ve been sick of the two of you pining over each other for the past couple of years. We were starting to think we’d have to stage an intervention to get you guys together,” Sam explained.

Rhodey grinned. “Tony was taking bets on whether anything would happen before the wedding, or after.”

“You guys were betting on whether we were going to get together?” you gasped.

“Not _if. When._ We all knew it was just a matter of time,” Rhodey clarified.

Pepper hugged you. “I was planning on making sure you caught the bouquet tonight, just as a precaution. Nat and Maria were totally in on the plan.”

You and Peter groaned in unison. It seemed like everybody knew about your feelings for each other except for the two of you. It was beyond embarrassing.

Tony finally caught everyone’s attention. “Well, as adorable as the two of you are together, I think all of you seem to have forgotten that today is all about ME. And my beautiful wife, of course,” he hastily amended, smiling apologetically at Pepper.

Laughing, everyone returned to dancing the night away. Peter reluctantly let go of you long enough for Clint to dance with you, while Natasha danced with Peter. You noticed her whispering to him and saw his face go pale, so undoubtedly she was threatening to dismember him if he ever hurt you. Then Maria grabbed Peter, and Steve took over from Clint.

“I’m glad you and Peter finally seem to have gotten your act together. It took you long enough,” Steve grinned down at you.

“Jeez, did everybody know how we felt except the two of us?” You felt your face going scarlet yet again.

He chuckled. “Pretty much. Did you know he thought you were in love with me and Bucky?”

“What, both of you?” you snorted with derision.

Steve nodded. “He was convinced that because of how much time you spend with the two of us, obviously it meant that you were in love with both of us. That’s part of the reason he never made a move before now.”

You shook your head. “What a dork.”

“Don’t worry, Bucky and I straightened everything out. I think that’s why he finally felt confident enough to let you know how he felt tonight.”

You and Steve smiled at each other as you glided across the dancefloor. You glanced at Peter and gave him a little wave, and he grinned at you even as Wanda dragged him away from Maria.

Bucky came over. “Hey punk, some of us would like to have a chance to dance with this doll, too. Stop hogging her.”

“Shut up, jerk,” Steve retorted, even as he handed you over to the other super-soldier.

Bucky smirked at you. “So, you finally got your spider-boy, huh?”

You rolled your eyes. “Shut up, Barnes.”

He chuckled softly. “I’m happy for you, doll. He’s a good kid, and I know he’ll treat you right. You both deserve to be happy.”

“Thanks, Bucky. He’s the best.”

You felt the soldier’s arms envelop you. “If he hurts you, I’m going to have to kill him.”

“You might have to get in line. I’m pretty sure Clint and Nat have already threatened him.”

“Well then, at least we know he’ll behave. I’m just glad you fell in love with Parker and not Maximoff. I would have had serious objections if you wanted to be with _that_ guy.”

You threw your head back and laughed hysterically. “Oh my God, _nobody_ wants to see me with Pietro. Even Pietro doesn’t want that.”

Bucky kissed the top of your head. “Seriously, doll, I’m really glad that you and Peter are together. You’re good for each other. I hope you both are as happy as me and Stevie are.”

That was the biggest endorsement you could have received, and you flushed with happiness that everybody seemed to be as thrilled about your blossoming romance with Peter as you were.

Suddenly Tony was leading everybody around the dancefloor in a conga line, and the night descended into a drunken mess, which for once Pepper didn’t put a stop to. The team did the Macarena (which Bruce was surprisingly excellent at), the chicken dance, and the Nutbush without a hint of embarrassment.

When the time came for Pepper to toss the bouquet, you were grateful that you and Peter had already declared your feelings for one another, because there would have been absolutely no way you caught the bouquet, despite Pepper’s best intentions. All of the single women were ruthlessly shoved out of the way by a mousey looking woman from the accounting department of Stark Industries, who spent the rest of the night making lovey-dovey faces at Happy, who looked absolutely terrified. Bruce actually managed to win the game to obtain the garter, and tried not to die from embarrassment when he had to remove it from Pepper’s leg. Natasha looked on smugly.

Eventually you and Peter were back in each other’s arms, smiling contentedly at one another. As you waved goodbye to the newlyweds as they left for their honeymoon, he kissed you softly. “I love you, Y/N.”

“I love you, too, Peter.”

“So, does this mean that you’re my best girl?” He grinned at you, teasing you with the term of endearment that Steve and Bucky had often used with you.

“You bet your ass it does, punk,” you laughed, nudging his shoulder with yours. Then you pulled his head down towards yours so that you could kiss him again. You decided the way Peter kissed you was probably your favourite thing about him.

Eventually, the two of you headed back inside the Avengers Facility to join the others, fingers interlaced, looking forward to exploring your new relationship together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who read this little piece of self-indulgent fluff. I hope you all enjoyed it and that it didn't disappoint!


End file.
